Musical instrument



March 26, 1935. v I c. SAMPIETRO 1,995,751

. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 25, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY 4 D flow- March 26, 1935. c SAMPlETRO 1,995,751

MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 23, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lwii 7 V *7 vi ,1

INVEN TOR.

March 26, 1935.

C. SAMPIETRO MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 25, 1933 INVENTOR.

' ATTORN Y5.

March 26, 1935. c SAMPlETRO MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 23, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR. W-M BY geri A TORN s.

Patented Mar. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

ably of the reed operated type.

The main object of the invention is to provide simple and efiicient mechanism whereby the instrument may be operated either by air provided either by blowing with the mouth or from a bellows operated in any suitable manner such as by foot power.

A further object is to provide simple and efficient means whereby the air supply may be transmitted directly to the reed chamber for direct control of the sound by the mouth action or may be transmitted to an intermediate constant tension reservoir of bellows form.

A further object is to provide simple and efiicient means whereby the application of air to the reed chamber can be automatically controlled and regulated so that an even pressure is applied at all times.

A further object is to provide simple and emcient means whereby an air pressure is built up in the reservoir sufiicient to permit a temporary cessation of the air supply coming from the mouth of the operator.

A still further object is to provide mechanism which is simple, efilcient, durable in construction, and capable of being readily taken apart for adjustment, replacement, and repair.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the specification hereinafter when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and which illustrate a present preferred form of the invention.

This invention in general relates to a wind musical instrument and the type herein shown is a musical harmonium, in which the air supplied by the mouth of the operator or through the foot treadle is applicable to reeds and regulated through the operation of a key member. In the normal operation the air is supplied in the above manner to a spring operated bellows chamber beneath the reed chamber and the pressure of the air maintained at a uniform predetermined value by reason of the resilient bellows reservoir. A simple manually operated valve can permit the air to be transmitted directly from the supply to the reed chamber and by-passed by the bellows reservoir, if desired, so as to make the control of airpressure directly regulated by the mouth of the operator for the production of special tone effects. The invention furthermore includes a check valve and moisture drain between the apparatus and the air supply so as to prevent exhaust of the air and the admission of moisture into the apparatus. The invention also includes 5 an automatic release valve on the bellows reservoir so that pressure therein cannot exceed a maximum value. The invention also includes simple andconvenient mounting of the keys and construction and arrangement of the reeds permitting simple, economical and ready manufacture, adjustment, alteration and replacement. The invention also includes a simple means whereby the volume of the reed chamber may be varied at will to regulate the tonal activity of the reeds. The invention also includes a simple platform or support which is slidable within the casing and supports substantially the entire apparatus whereby all the mechanism can be readily pulled out of the casing for examination and attention, when desired.

The present preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the instrument;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation with a portion of the back wall removed;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section; 30

Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the inner operating parts slid out of the casing;

Fig. 7 is a detail section of the reed box and the reed construction;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 88 of 3: Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged partially sectional view of the air supply check valve and the distributor valve within the mechanism for controlling the direction and flow of the air.

As shown in the drawings, the present form of instrument typifies a small harmonium type of wind instrument. This includes a casing 10 having a sloping front wall 11 broken away at 12 to expose a. series of keys 13. The end walls of the casing are provided with slots or grooves 14 in which ride the opposite edges of a supporting platform or plate 15. This plate can be slid in and out of the casing as shown in Fig. 5 and 6 so that the mechanism supported thereon can be made readily accessible for examination which would include adjustment, repair, and replacement. The back portion of the casing is formed of two pivoted flaps 16 and 17 which can be opened up to'permit of the sliding out of the ber 36.

fastened to the under-side of the plate 15. The

bottom of the bellows is fastened to a solid plate 22 provided with air apertures 23 therein and controlled by a spring pressed valve 24 having a stem 25 dependent from the bottom of the plate 22 so as to contact with the floor of the casing 10 when the bellows extends downwardly thus permitting a certain amount of air to get out, thus limiting the maximum amount of air pressure which can be built up within the reservoir, The plate 22 is supported from the ring 21 by means of a plurality of springs 26 spaced therearound and these springs tend to pull the bellows together or to collapse it with a regular uniform predetermined pull whereby the air pressure within the bellows tends to be maintained ata constant value.

Air is supplied to this bellows reservoir through apipe 27 in'which is disposed a check valve 28 housed in any suitable casing 29 having a liquid trap 30 at the bottom thereof from which extends a pipe 31. leading to a mouth piece 32 for direct operation or to a foot operated bellows or treadle 33.

The forward end of the pipe 27 connects with a port 34 .in the plate 15 which leads to the interior of the bellows 20. Another port 35 leads from this reservoir through the plate 15 into a reed chamber 36. This reed chamber extends allalong the top of the plate 15 and is associated or related to the reeds in a manner to be hereinafter described. Disposed within the bellows chamber or reservoir is a plate 37 having two apertures 38 and 39 oppositely disposedand a curved pipe 40 extending in a direction at right angles to the line between the apertures 38 and 39. This pipe is openat its opposite ends through plate 15 and is operated by the connection with the plate. 3'7v ofa stemrll extending up through the mechanism preferably through the top of the casing and connected to a handle 42, see Fig. 5, sosthatthe valve plate 3'7 can be moved either to the position shown in Fig. 5, or to the posi .tion .shownin Fig. 6. In the position shown in Fig. 5, the air comes in through pipe 27 through port 34 directly into the bellows reservoirand then extends or passes through port 35 tothe reed chamber 36. In the position of the'va-lve plate 37 as shown in Fig. 6, the airpasses from pipe 27 through port 34 into the pipe 40 and thence directly into the port 35 to the reed cham- In this second position the air then passes directly from the pipe-2'7 to the reed chamber without passing into the bellows reservoir. In this latter position it will be seen that the operation of the mouth piece 32 will directly control the air pressure in the reed chamber 36 whereas in the first position of the valve plate 37 the air pressure in the reed chamber is main- .tained at auniform value by the operation of the spring operated bellows reservoir.

One end of the reed chamber 06 opens into a pipe or extension member 43 shown in Fig. 8, the lower end of which pipe may be closed by a removable stopper 44, see Fig. 4. The purpose of this pipe or extension is to increase the volume of the air in the reed chamber as it has been found that by increasing the volume of air above that normally disposed in the reed chamber some of the reeds will be more constantly operated. The length of this pipe and consequently the increase of the reed chamber volume can be varied at will dependent upon the kind of reeds employed since some types of reeds will require more air volume and others less for proper operation.

As shown in Figs. land 8 there is disposed on top of the plate or platform 15 a reed block 45. This block preferably has a gasket 46 disposed along its bottom and is provided with a 'I'0W',Of vertical holes 47 therein, extending through the block from the top to the bottom. At the bottom of each hole 47 there is a bored horizontal hole 48 in which a reed of suitable type 49 is disposed. The front end of this horizontal hole 48 is enlarged as at 50 toreceive a-suitable block or stopper 51. It willbe apparent, therefore, that it is a very easy matter to take off the block'45 removing the respective stopper, and the respective reeds 49 can be taken out and examined, repaired, or replaced, either because the instrument is out of order or because a new or different set of reeds are to be employed.

The top of each of the vertical holes 4'7 is controlled by a key 13 oneend of whichis disposed near the adjacent hole 47 to close the same. Each key is provided with an undercut portion 53, see Figs. 5 and 6, which forms a pivotal groove whereby the key pivotally rests upon the top of the partition plate 5i extending along the top of the platform 15. The black keys shown are adapted to be constructed, arranged, and operated in the same general manner as the white keys although the detailed construction thereof is not shown. Each h y is held in its closed position by means of a spring 55 tending to pull the rear end down over the air openings 47. The front ends of the keysare exposed as shownin Fig. 1 and can be slightly depressed to lift the rear ends and allow the air to flow up through the reeds to produce the tones desired. The front ends of the keys are provided at their end surfaces with pads 55 oooperating with pads-57 disposed on the top bar 58 along the front edge of the platform 15.

In the operation of the device it will be that as each key is depressed the proper air passage is opened to permit the air to flow up from the reed chamber to the respective reeds and produce the proper tone or tones. This air coming from the reed chamber may be supplied to it by coming from the bellows reservoir under constant pressure. the operation being as reviously described. It will be noted that the bellows reservoir is of sufiicient capacity to maintain the proper air pressure in the reed chain ber even though the supply of air to the bellows reservoir. may be temporarily stopped due to the cessation of the foot treadle 33 or removal of the mouth from the mouth-piece 32. This enables the erson to rest foot occasionally or to remove his mouth from the mouth-piece without interrupting the operation of the instrument for a short time. On the other hand if the plate 37 is disposed in another position the mouth-piece 32 transmits the air directly to the reed chamber and direct control of the air pressure and any desired variations in. it is made, possible so that. tonguing of the air to produce certain tonal effects can be readily achieved. This will permit a tone to be readily repeated by the tonguing action even while a given key is held down and without having to operate the key repeatedly.

The air is sufiiciently drained of moisture by reason of the trap 30 and can not escape through the mouth-piece because of the check valve 28. The parts are simple and efiicient and durable in construction and arrangement and the entire apparatus can be readily slipped out of the casing as shown in Fig. 6 so that it is a simple matter to remove it for any desired purpose. If the amount of air supplied to the bellows reservoir becomes too great the bellows extends to the extent that the valve stem 25 hits the bottom of the casing, the valve 24 opens to let a little air out so that a predetermined maximum of air cannot be exceeded. The mounting of the keys is simple and economical and efiicient and the reed block can be readily removed for repair, replacement and substitution of reeds.

While the invention has been described in detail and with respect to a present preferred form thereof it is not to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest aspects. Hence it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language or scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

What is claimed, is:

1. A wind instrument comprising a reed chamber, a plurality of reeds associated therewith, a pipe connected to said reed chamber to form an auxiliary part of said chamber, said pipe being variable as to its length so that the volume thereof may be varied to vary the total volume of the reed chamber for the purposes specified.

2. A wind instrument which comprises a reed chamber, a plurality of reeds associated therewith, a bellows reservoir connected with the reed chamber, an air supply to the bellows reservoir and valve means for by-passing the bellows reservoir whereby the air can pass directly from the air supply to the reed chamber.

3. A wind instrument which comprises a reed chamber, a plurality of reeds associated therewith, a bellows reservoir connected with the reed chamber, an air supply to the bellows reservoir and valve means for by-passing the bellows reservoir whereby the air can pass directly from the air supply to the reed chamber, and means for varying the volume of the reed chamber at will.

4. A wind operated musical instrument which comprises a plurality of reeds, a plurality of keys associated with and adapted to efiect the operation of said reeds, said keys being separately and independently mounted whereby each key may be removed and repaired or replaced without interference with the construction and operation of the other keys, a spring operated bellows reservoir to receive air and maintain it under constant pressure, said reservoir connected to said reeds, and means to supply air to said reservoir.

5. A wind operated musical instrument which comprises a plurality of key operated reeds, a

spring operated bellows reservoir to receive air and maintain it under constant pressure, said reservoir connected to said reeds, and means to supply air to said reservoir, and valve means operable at will to transmit the air from the supply directly to the reeds whereby the bellows reservoir is by-passed.

6. In a wind operated musical instrument a plurality of reeds, means for supplying air to said reeds, means for preventing the return of air to the supply, means for preventing the access of moisture through the air supply to the reeds, and means for supplying the air to the reeds under constant pressure.

7. In a wind operated musical instrument a plurality of reeds, means for supplying air to said reeds, means for preventing the return of air to the supply, means for preventing the access of moisture through the air supply to the reeds, and means for supplying the air to the reeds under constant pressure, and automatic means for preventing the air pressure exceeding a predetermined maximum.

8. In a wind operated musical instrument a plurality of reeds, means for supplying air to said reeds, means for preventing the return of air to the supply, means for preventing the access of moisture to the reeds, and means for supplying the air to the reeds under constant pressure, and

manually operable means to transmit air directly from the supply to the reeds and by-passing the pressure control means.

9. In a wind operated musical instrument a plurality of reeds, means for supplying air to said reeds, means for preventing the return of air to the supply, means for preventing the access of moisture to the reeds, and means for supplying the air to the reeds under constant pressure, and automatic means for preventing the air pressure exceeding a predetermined maximum, and manually operable means for passing air directly from the supply to the reeds and by-passing the pressure control ,mechanism.

10. In a musical instrument having a reed chamber, a spring operated bellows reservoir associated with said chamber to maintain the pressure constant, a source of air supply connected to said bellows, and a manually operated valve operable while the instrument is in operation and from without the instrument to connect the source of air supply directly to the reed chamber.

11. In a musical instrument, having a reed chamber, a spring operated bellows reservoir associated with said chamber to maintain the air pressure constant therein, an exhaust valve in the bottom of the bellows adapted to open when the bellows expands and the valve contacts with the wall or floor of the instrument to release some of the air in the bellows whereby excess pressure in the bellows is prevented.

12. In a wind operated musical instrument, a plurality of reeds, means for supplying air to said reeds, a check valve for preventing the return of air to the supply, a trap associated with the check valve to prevent access of water to the reeds, and means for supplying air to the reeds under constant pressure.

CORNELIUS SAMPIETRO. 

